Water-feeder



(No Model.) I

C. A. SOUTHWICK.

WATEE EEEDEE.

Paterktg (1111 1921888.

.ggf

i fy/Q'EMJM. l .A I 0a/JU?? MU aM/E @um mw@ CHARLES AUSTIN SOUTHWICK,

WATE R- PATENT Crrrcn.

OF PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS.

FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 384,874, dated .llnne 19, 1888.

Application Bled August 15, 1887. Serial No. 246,955. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, CHARLES, AUSTIN Son'rnwrcrr, a citizen of the United States,4

A represents a longitudinal section vof the automatic feeding mechanism, showing the valves in position for feeding the boiler; and Fig. 3

represents the valves in their reversed posilions foi-conducting the liquid from its source or tank to the feed-reservoir.

Similar letters refer to similar paris wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings. A

c is the boiler, tanlgoileceiverof any kind, in which a standard level or height of liquid is to be maintained.

b is the feed-reservoir, preferably made cylindrical in form and closed at top and bottom. From the upper end of the reservoir b leads a pipe, c c', to the boiler a, the lower end of said pipe terminating within the boiler at aplace where the level of the liquid is to be maintained, as shown in Fig. 1.

d d is a pipe leading from the bottom of the feed-reservoir b to the tank e, or other suitable watersupply--such as the pipe from a water-main, a feed-pum`p, or other wellknowu source of supply.

fis a pipe leading from the pipe d d to the bottom of the boiler a, as shown in Fig. 1.

` On the pipe c c is located a valve-shell, C, having a plug or valve, C', a portion of which is cnt away, as shown at C in Figs. Zand 3.

g is an exhaust pipe or opening leading from the valveshell C to the atmosphere, for such purpose as will hereinafter be described.

D is a valve-shell located at the junction of the pipes d d f, and provided with a plug or valve, D', having a cut-away portion, D, for

thepurpose of alternatively establishing a com mnnication between the pipe d d' and between the pipes d f.

To the plug or valve C is attached the lever c, and to the plug or valve D is likewise attogether by means of thevertical rod h, the latter having secured to it at its upper end the nuts or collars It` and h, which are preferably made adjustable on said rod 71., either by being screwed thereon or in any other well known manner.

d3 is a balance-weight on the lever d to counterbalance the rod h, its collars h h, and levers c d, as shown in Fig. l.

\Vithin the feed-reservoir b is located the hollow float b', that is free to slide up and down on the rod b as the liquid rises or falls in said reservoir. The rod b" in its upper end passes through a suitable stufiingbox, B, in the top ofthe reservoir b, asshown in Fig. 2.

y13 and B" are nuts or collars or projections secured at a proper distance apart on the rod b,on that portion of it that extends above the reservoir b, as shown, the purpose of which will hereinafter be described.

Above and below the loat b are secured B3 B4, on which the float b' acts as the liquid rises or falls within said reservoir b.

of the reservoir b, or to any other stationary part of the device, such bracket having pivoted to it at la the weighted scale-beam K, the ends of which are long enough to come in contact with the projections B' B on the rod b, and projections h h on the rod h, as shown in Fig. 1.

On the scale-beam or lever K the weight L is free to roll or slide as the said lever is and K", that serve as stops for the movable weight L to limit its :notion in either direction on the lever K. I prefer to have the weight L movable on the lever K, as shown; but this is not essential, as, if so desired, it may be secured to said lever above its fulcrum, similar to the manner in which railway-switch lever'weights are arranged to hold the switchin position.

7c and k3 are stop projections on the bracket tached the lever d,which levers are connected to the rod b the collars, nuts, or projections.

k is a bracket, preferably secured to the top tipped, said lever havingend projections, K

ICO

7c to limit the rocking motion of the lever K as it is being tipped by the projections B and B during the downward and upward motion of the rod b, caused by fall and rise of the `float 11. It is not essential that such stop projections should be located on the bracket lf, as they may be arranged on the lever K, or any of the movable parts ofthe device, the object being to limit the motion of the valves or plugs C D during the operation ofthe device.

The operation is as follows: We will sup pose that the liquid in the boiler a has fallen a little below the lower end of the pipe c, (which is the normal level,`) and that the various parts are in their respective positions, as shown in Figs. l and 2, the plugs or valves C and D being held as shown in' said figures, so that the steam from the boiler a will pass through pipe c, valve C', and pipe c to the upper end ot'feed-rescrvoir b, above its float b', causing the latter to move downward and the liquid in said reservoir to be forced out through pipe d', valve D', and pipe j', and thus to ow into the bottom ot the boiler a,

the communication to the pipe d and its tank vrod b its upper projection, B', depresses the righthand cud of the scale-bealn K until the latter is rocked below a horizontal line, when the weight L rolls on the lever K against the `stop K, causing the lever K to be instantly tripped on its fulcrum to the position shown in Fig. 8, and by so doing the left end of said lever actuates the projection h on the rod h and raises the latter instantly to the position shown in Fig. 3, by which the positions of the valves or plugs C D are reversed, the former closing the pipe c and establishing an open communication from the upper end ofthe reservoir b and its pipe c to the exhaust'pipe g, the latter closing the pipe f and establishing an open communication from the tank e to the lower end of the reservoir b by means of the pipes d and d, as shown in Fig. 3, causing the liquid from the tank e or watersource to enter the bottom of the reservoir b and to force the float b upward, and during such upward motion of the float b the air orsteam above it is allowed to pass freely out through pipes c g and the valve C. As the iioat b continues to rise it comes in contact with the projection B on the rod b and moves the latter upward, causing its projection B to trip the lever K sufliciently to cause its weight L to roll to the position shown in Figs.- l and 2, by which the rod h is instantly depressed by the medium of the projection h on it and the various parts returned to their original positions, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and if the liquidin the boiler a has fallen below the end ot' the pipe c the water from the reservoir b will be caused to flow into the boiler through the pipes d f. Should, however, the lower end of the pipe e nbe sealed in the liquid in the boiler @,no l'eed will take place until the level of the liquid in the boiler falls below thc open lower en/ the steam-pipe c.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation of my invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent, and claim- The water-feeder, as described, consisting of the water-supply e and reservoir b, the pipe d d, connecting the same, the valve D', arranged on said pipe and having pipefentering the waterspace of the boiler a, the pipe c c, leading from the upper portion of the reservoir b to the boiler a, and terminating within the latter at the normal level of the water in said boiler, and having the valve C arranged upon said pi pe,as described, the said valves C D being connected by means of the weighted levers c d/and rodh, combined with the float b', arranged within the reservoir b, the ioat-rod b, having collars B 13]33 B, and the weighted rocking lever K L, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereoflhave signed my name to this speciticatiomin the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 9th day of August, A. D. 1887.

CHARLES AUSTIN SOU'IIIWICK. XVitnesses:

ALBAN ANDRN, HELEN S. ANDRN. 

